An analysis of northern hemisphere block sizes compared to climatology and seasonal variations
type: CreativeWork
description: The goal of the following research was to discover if any trends exist between the size of large-scale, mid-latitude anticyclonic events and seasonal characteristics. A 20-year analysis of North American blocking events was compiled by calculating the mean size of each event using NCEP-NCAR analyses and a simplified Rossby wave equation. Blocking events were identified using block definitions from previous studies and retrieved from the University of Missouri-Columbia blocking database. The sizes of blocking events were then compared to Northern Hemisphere climatological information derived in previous research. Block sizes were compared to El Niño-Southern Oscillation, blocking intensity as defined by Wiedenmann et al. 2002, and other seasonal characteristics. Results will assist researchers and long-range forecasters to predict the scale and potential impacts of blocking events, of which onset and duration are currently difficult to forecast.
abstract: The goal of the following research was to discover if any trends exist between the size of large-scale, mid-latitude anticyclonic events and seasonal characteristics. A 20-year analysis of North American blocking events was compiled by calculating the mean size of each event using NCEP-NCAR analyses and a simplified Rossby wave equation. Blocking events were identified using block definitions from previous studies and retrieved from the University of Missouri-Columbia blocking database. The sizes of blocking events were then compared to Northern Hemisphere climatological information derived in previous research. Block sizes were compared to El Niño-Southern Oscillation, blocking intensity as defined by Wiedenmann et al. 2002, and other seasonal characteristics. Results will assist researchers and long-range forecasters to predict the scale and potential impacts of blocking events, of which onset and duration are currently difficult to forecast.
author: Abraham, Justin John
language: eng
language: English
keywords: anticyclonic event, seasonal characteristics, blocking event
date published: 2012
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:09:39Z
provider: University of Missouri
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Missouri--Columbia

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/10355/15934